Executive chef Allen Hsu of Westerleigh PARC is changing the perception of retirement residence cuisine – one tasting plate at a time.
The innovative chef will once again be participating in Harmony Arts Festival’s “Best of the West” food competition on August 7 that pairs 12 of the lower mainland’s best restaurants with 12 top wineries.
“It’s a way for me to change the mindset of how people view retirement industry dining. We show people that we can be innovative cooking for seniors,” Hsu explains.
“At the event booth, we often get asked: ‘Do you actually cook that for your residents?’ And we say, ‘Yes we do!’”
Hsu and his culinary team at Westerleigh PARC in West Van like to get creative in the kitchen – everything from sous vide cooking and smoke guns to making in-house caviar.
“Many, many different cooking methods,” explains Hsu, who has two decades of experience cooking in high-end hotels and restaurants.
“Guests and family members are truly astounded by what our culinary team is producing daily that our residents get to enjoy,” adds HeeSon Domay, GM of Westerleigh PARC.
Of course, chef-prepared fine dining is just one of the reasons that make the award-winning PARC independent living residences in B.C. so different from other retirement communities. “The focus is on vibrant seniors who are living an active lifestyle,” says Domay.
At the LEED® gold-certified Westerleigh PARC, for instance, residents can choose from a variety of fitness classes including yoga, Tai Chi and Nordic pole walking or immerse themselves in arts, culture and music with special live entertainment onsite or afternoon excursions to the symphony.
“In all our retirement residences, we focus on choice for our residents,” says Domay.
PARC retirement residences also connect with and contribute to the well-being of the local community.
Westerleigh PARC recently partnered with North Shore Community Resources to offer the Mother Goose Program, which brings daycare groups for sing-a-longs and make connections with seniors. Westerleigh PARC also partners with the Kay Meek Centre and the West Vancouver Library and sponsors the Harmony Arts Festival – to name a few.
“We have a solid community connection,” says Domay.
While Hsu gets excited about competing in cooking competitions, it’s his daily work that gives him the highest satisfaction.
“What I enjoy the most is being able to make a difference in people’s lives. In the past, as a chef, I didn’t interact with the customers all that much, but here I get to know the residents and the families, they even know my kids. I like how I can make their day by providing personalized service, and it feels great.”
Along with Westerleigh, there are two more PARC retirement communities on the North Shore: Summerhill and Cedar Springs. To learn more, visit parcliving.ca, call 604.408.5811 or email [email protected].
Westerleigh PARC
725 – 22nd Street
West Vancouver
604-922-9888
Cedar Springs PARC
3633 Mt. Seymour Parkway
North Vancouver
604.986.3633
Summerhill PARC
135 15th Street West
North Vancouver
604.980.6525
